JHJ M4 Pilot Study
Supporting Our Future
The James Humphrey Jr. Foundation received a research grant through the Systems Alignment Innovation Hub from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to conduct a pilot study to test the acceptability of the JHJ M4 Program. JHJF partners with local colleges and universities in Arkansas and Oklahoma to provide JHJ M4 service offerings to eligible students to improve their academic, mental health, social-emotional well-being outcomes, and post-graduate future.
The JHJ M4 combines a mission driven action plan, mentorship, mental health therapeutic counseling, and monetary tuition support as an all-inclusive program infused with strength-based wrap-around care service and support.
The M4 program provides therapeutic counseling to participating students throughout their undergraduate years. The therapy sessions provide the participating students with the mental health support they need to navigate the challenges of college and the emotions and mental stress that comes with it.
The M4 program provides students with access to professional mentors throughout their participation in the program. These mentors guide students to create a mission-driven, student centered, goal-based action plan they can use to navigate their college career and to achieve their post graduate goals.
The M4 program also provides participating students with access to emergency tuition support based on the student's financial loss or need each year based on available program funding.
This supportive service of the JHJ Foundation provides these supports to participating students of the M4 program free of charge, removing the burden of searching for these resources and the financial challenge of paying for them, allowing college youth to focus on being the very best student they can be.
Below is a journey map outlining the timeline and expectations of the M4 process for eligible students who apply and are accepted into the program.
Pathway to Participation
JHJ M4 Pilot Program
Sept. 2025 - Sept. 2026
Qualifying students complete a JHJ M4 Program In-Take form. Eligible students will be an active undergraduate (aged 18-26) in good academic standing (Minimum 3.0 GPA) from an ethnic Black, Brown, Indigenous (person of color) background or marginalized community. The in-take form will be evaluated for criteria requirements and blind selected for participation in an experiential or control group study. Experimental group participants will receive full access to JHJ M4 services and control group participants will participate in need assessment focus groups and questionnaire studies for which they will be compensated during the duration of the yearlong pilot study.
In Take Process
1
Both groups will participate in a focus group needs assessment session to establish thoughts, feelings, needs, and behaviors they currently experience or believe about the future in relation to their college experience and post-graduation aspirations.
Focus Group and Questionnaire Completion to Establish Baseline and Student Needs
2
Students of the experimental group will be paired with licensed counselors based on their self-reported background. (i.e. if students report coming from a background of trauma, they will be paired with a therapist with that expertise, if they report having a background of substance use, they would be paired with a therapist with that expertise). They will also be paired with a mentor. Mentors will be paired with students that most align with their expertise or experience. Touch point meetings will be scheduled with the students for each semester as well as support group sessions. The therapy and mentor meeting sessions will take place at least twice a semester in addition to 1 support group meeting per semester. During the pilot study year, students will complete their mission-driven action plan with their mentor and share their progress during their sessions. Students will also be able to take advantage of other community-based programs offered from community partners of the JHJF CoP Coalition. Mentors and therapists will keep reports of student engagement and progress to be generalized and reported as findings at the pilot study's conclusion.
Therapeutic Counseling and Mentor Meetings Begin with the Experimental Group
3
Student groups (experimental and control) will take part in closing focus groups to capture their perceptions, thoughts, feelings and experiences during the pilot period, as well as beliefs about their academic future and post-graduation goals. Challenges, successes, needs, gaps, progress, setbacks, lessons learned will be discussed as well as any supports they wished they had that would have made their year better or more successful. Findings will be compiled, analyzed, and reported to the study grantors and prepared for peer review journal submission. Toolkits and sustainability materials will be created from lessons learned to refine and strengthen future offerings of the JHJ M4 program.
Closing Focus Group and Questionnaire Completion
4
Making Collaborative Connections
Collaborative partnerships are available to professors and administrators of collegiate programs of participating pilot campuses as a campus liaison to act as the point of contact for the partnership and provide oversight to the cohort of participating students on their campus. M4 Campus Host Site designated liaisons will assist with navigation of the campus IRB process, student referrals, and introductory connections to relevant departments on campus (i.e. student services, mental health, financial aid, nursing/medical service divisions, etc.) to sustain the program outcomes and strengthen continuity of carefor participating students. the In addition, these partner professors will be invited to co-author research articles for peer review journal submissions based on their campus students' findings, if desired.
